Clip pin



29, 1950 ,E. T. SOMMER, JR ,5 0,817

CLIP PIN Filed Aug. 28, 1947 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED i STAT ES: PATENT 0F FlCEE.

I CLIP PIN Edmund 3!.- Summer, Je Arlington, Va.

Application Augus'f28, 1947,'Serial No. 111-11 41 "inventien relates to fastening means and pertienlavrly to fastening means of the dip type adapted for-clipping or pinning together' one or folds er fa brl ofltex tile, paper, *or tlielike.

"invention is "an improvement in an art which there are literally hundreds o'tf prior' pastentsnorre of which sofar as I -a;m aware *combine the feetnre's of unitary production from asinefle piece or stoek, positive locking means, one or more pins adapted to pierce and securely hold the *foids-ofmevterial to be retained, and v2 positiverguerd 'or' shield to protect the user or wearer from injury flue'to the points of the pins. More speelficaliy, I have nrovide-d a olip or fastening deviceof which all elements may "be stamped-mt of a single bi -n1: of spring "steel or iig'h't metal, Moreover, in my device there is a roughly u-shenedreeess between "the inner and opposed surfaces of'two main races, and with respect "to the orientation of said u 'shaned recess, an additi-onel inverted recess'hetw-een the outer "suriaee of oneof theinein fem-es an integral s'hielil' member for-riled ease foldedxover' extension of use obv-iously requires the provision mile, elins'oi" pin which may be easily fastened or unfiastened atrwill on a squirming infanhvyet 'at-the'same or otherwise injuring-the infant when-in use.

My invention hasifora further obieotthe pmvlsionot a clip or pin which may be mad as a garment olaspor eostume jewelrynnmomens apparel 01224512, tie or suspenderrcla'sp men" Mydevice or clasp may also iee eased for :pinning.

50 may-also be used as a paper clip m- .seeuring blankets or bed covering on-young children. It

bundles of related papers-firmly and Another object of my invention is the prevision of a pin or elip which vrmsty be simply stamped'fromsheetmetal, may be readily bent "-40 time will remain securely in place "during.'imse with no danger of either becoming untestened: due'to movements of the intant or oil-scratching and f'eldedinto shape by machine operation and therefore suseelifiible to economic prodution by mess prod-udtion-methods At the 's'aJn-I'e time it is eii'apted for decoration Jay-plating with pre-' cieus vn'retsll 'or engraving or embossing or by enemeling or leoqeering orlay the attaohing ot separate decorative elements where the production of-e more attractive device for outward appears-nee is desired.

.lFurther-obj'ects' and advantages of my invention will develop as the *descri'ntion thereof proceeds and the'n'ovel features of my invention will be further des'er'ihe'd' in the specification and thoroughly pointed out in the claims.

Referringin theaccompsnying drawing where'- inlike referencenumerals refer to the same or simiier elements: I

Referring to the accompanying drawing Wherein like reference numeral-1s refer to the same or -si-mi'lar elements:

.Eigune -l is e -;pers z ective view as viewed par-1 ti-oulemly fromon'e end from above; Figure Zis a side elevation of-ene. side of the device with them-retentive shieldwbroken away to permit visual observation of the rfuil side; Figure 3 is a side elevation-of theeppositeside of my device; Figure 4 isemend vview-of my device ina, partially-olo'sed.-

andnnloched positions; Figure 5 is-ravside 'elevati'envof the sameside dise-losedin Figure 3 with- 'the locking member :from the opposite face omitted for the purpose of greater clarity; Fig

use 26 (is em end elevation of my device, otherwise'simila-r to Figures but with the deviee'in closed and ionized position; Figure '7 is a top plan view of the devioe in olosed andloeked position.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing's:

'Aupiece of'm'etal, 1, preferably of spring steel orthe likeis stamped so es to form the locking rear'f-aee 3', with edges d and 5. The material from. which the opposing facesror sides '2' and 3' "are formed is bent at E to provide a, return bend or fold.

During the initial mahining or stamping of theblani: the'npner end ofthe face or side 2 is partially away to provide a topedge 1; the

height/h civil-rich "(from 'foi'd 5) is'somewh'at le'ss than the height of a central, preferably curved,

extension or ioek ln'g nob ii. Desirably both outer" corners oi-"shoulders of the top edge 7 will be rounded-to eliminate any sharp edges or corners.

stl'nok out of the face 2 at the time of machining" elements and the pin elements hereafter more fully described; it is then suitably bent seas-to provide affront or face 2 and an opposing Turning'now to the opposite facgz, at its upper end and at an elevation of approximately the same height as the elevation of face '2 when terminated by its upper edge I, an extension of face 3 is folded over at right angles to 3 along edge H to form a top surface I 2; the outer edge of top surface i2 is again folded over at right angles to form a lip or shield l3 which extends downwardly to a point below the sharpened ends of the pins 9. Prior to the folding operations and preferably at I the time of initially stamping the blank a tongue I iis struck out of that portion of the blank which ultimately forms face 3 and top l2. An opening I5 approximately centrally located in the tongue M is struck out in order to permit subsequent engagement with the extension 8 on face -2; the opening formed by striking out tongue [4 remains in face 3 and is of such a'size and so positioned as to permit'pins 9 to pass therethrough;

It will be observed that tongue l4 remains as anextension of top surface i2 and is not folded along theedge I l as is the remainder of top surface l2.

Tongue i4 may be suitably formed into a curved rounded shape as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or it may be permitted toremain in a perfectly flat shape'as shown in Figure 1. I prefer that the outer end of tongue I be curved so as to avoid any sharp edges or corners which might cause injury.

- Mode of operation I When it is desired to use my device the opposing faces 2 and 3 are normally spread somewhat further apart than shown in Figure 4. One or more folds of material such as fabric or one or" more sheets of paper may be'inserted into the rou'ghly'U-shaped recess formed by face 3, lip 13, and top surface l2; When the material has been so placed, faces 2 and 3 are pressedtogether until the points I! of the pins 9 extend through th'eopening i6 and penetrate the material to a point or'degree at which points 1 of pins 9 approach lip l3 and which will permit tongue M to overlie face 2 and will also permit extension 8 to be inserted through opening l5, thereby locking the device through the cooperation of the locking means provided'by 8, l4 and l5.' When closed and locked the elements of my device will assume the position shown in Figure 6. When it is desired to open the device, faces 2 and 3 are passed together to permit tongue M to be elevated so as to free the element 8 from the engagement with opening 15, the faces 2 and 3 are spread apart, the

fabric ormaterial is disengaged from the pins 9 and: withdrawn from the U-shaped' opening formed by 3 and i3. 7

Equivalents While I have described and illustrated my invention with reference to one modification thereof, certain other modifications may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. While I have described my device herein- 7 above with reference to a simple metallic-stamping of, say spring steel, suitable alloys of other metals which will result in the desired resiliency metal with brass or with chromium or other corrosion-resistant elements or compounds, including, of course, precious metals such as silver or gold, or platinum. Instead of stamping out the 5 pins 9 so as to leave the recesses i I may, if desired, use round pins which may be driven through, screwed into, riveted into or otherwise suitably afiixed to the face 2. Such pins could, of course, be presharpened and would provide easier in penetration'rof lthe fabric or material to be penetrated by them. Such analtern'ative "arrange- V ment would also permit more decoration on face 2 than could be added when the pins are stamped out of the face. In addition to desired decoration by plating or otherwise coating with metals,

3 "I'may, ofc'oure, employ lacquers, enamels or plastics in ordenfurther to decorate and improve the appearance of the faces 2 and 3. I may also attachseparate decorations to the outer surface of face 2.

;I have referred above to the utilization of my pin-orclip in fastening diapers on infants. I- have also made a general reference to its use in fastening garments and neckties. In all such cases the features hereinabove described in detail provide a device which will permit one or,- more folds or sheets of material 'to be fastened. together with firmness, due to the penetration of the pins through the folds or layers, with security due to the provision of the locking pins, and with safety due to the; provision of the shield which-- def nitely shields and prevents contact with the. sharpened-points of the pins. These same features and advantages could also be used when my 5=;device is adapted to a further use as a clothespinor suspension clip. Such use may readily be 9.0-1. complished byproviding a suitable ring which; maybe soldered or brazed or otherwise afiixed; along the fold 6. I have not illustrated sucha.

(Ogring in my drawings but contemplate its usewhere desired. When provided withsuch a ring: my clip may also be used for hanging and drying ofphotographic negatives and prints, a use towhich many prior art clips have been directed;-

EIn additionmy clip may be used as anitem of costume jewelry either in the form as shownin the attached drawings or with the addition of?v decoration, watches, compacts, purses or other items either to face 2 or by attachment to the 1 :zaforementioned ring. I 7

While I have illustrated my device in my draw-'* ings as possessing a pair of pins 9, I have contemplated that my clip may, if desired, be provided with three 'or more such pins. It may also ;;be made with but a single pin. 1

Iclaim: 1

1; A safety clip adapted for repeated use in pinning pieces of paper or cloth, such' as sheets, diapers, and the like, comprising two opposing gresilient faces joined at a common extremity by a::fold so' as to form an apprOXimatelyU-shaped recess, one'of said faces having an extension at its-upper end, said extension being bent outwardly and at'an angle from said first face and" 651-being additionally bent downwardly to form a protective shield, spaced from and approximately parallel to said-face, said one face 'alsohaving an opening therethrough adjacent the upper end thereof, said other face having at least one pin" connected to the inner surface thereof and at an angle-thereto, said pin being so positioned as to be adapted to penetrate through the said opening in said first face and to be Within the space covered by said protective shield and a locking .75 device comprising a nob on said other 'face'cooperatively associated with a tongue connected to said upper extension on said first face said faces, said pin, said shield, and said locking device all being formed of and being an integral part of a single piece of metallic stock.

2. A safety clip adapted for repeated use in pinning pieces of paper or cloth, such as sheets, diapers, and the like, comprising a fastening clip formed from a single piece of stock material,

' comprising a pair of resilient opposed faces, at

least one pin struck out of one of the said faces, an opening in the other of said faces adapted to permit passage of the outer end of said pin therethrough and said other face also having its upper end bent outwardly and downwardly to provide a shield for the extremity of said pin, and locking means formed at the upper edges of said two faces said two faces, said pin, said shield, and said locking means all being formed of and being an integral part of a single piece of metallic stock.

EDMUND T. SOMMER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,961,806 Weiss June 5, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 883,180 France Mar. 15, 1943 

